True Strength
by KDMOSP
Summary: Halloween for JJ and Henry in the children's oncology unit.


**A/N: I am thinking about making this a series of one shots.. just random stories about Henry and JJ. Just a bit of background, I know several people who have either lost or currently have children battling cancer. It is an awful disease, but you really, truly see love in these families. So, while I do not know much about Cancer or the treatment process, I have been fortunate to see how strong these families really are. I decided to write this based off of my friends and their little warriors:**

"Mommy, look I'm scary!" Henry giggled as he ran up to his mother, showing off his newly painted face.

"You are!" She bent down to lift her son, laughing when she saw what had been painted on his bald head. "Did you know you have eyes on your head?" She whispered, touching the soft skin.

Henry nodded. "Yes! I told the lady to paint something silly on my head." He proudly pointed to it. "So she painted eyeballs!"

"I see that. Are you having fun?" JJ asked her son, watching his eyes shine with a happiness she had not seen in a very long time. Not since before he had been diagnosed with cancer, not since her entire world had crashed down upon her.

Henry had been diagnosed with Cancer, her little boy had Cancer. And Will.. Will had left a month before Henry's diagnosis, leaving with a note on the table to not try and contact him, he had a sealed document next to the letter signing his rights to Henry away.

She had tried to hide Will's departure from the team, but the day Henry was diagnosed she found herself sobbing in Hotch's arms. She couldn't take anymore, and that day changed the relationship between the two. He hugged her and promised Henry would grow up with a mentor. He promised he would be there for every treatment, every surgery, every doctor's appointment. He promised he would be there for Henry and her.

And he had stayed true to that promise, four months in and he had yet to break it. Henry had been diagnosed in late June, and since then the team had made sure the little boy forgot that he was sick whenever possible

"Yes, we are about to go trick or treating." His tiny voice instantly shook JJ out of her memory as Henry pointed to a small group of kids gathered around a door. "The nurses said we have to be very careful because it might get scary!" He explained as jumped up and down with anticipation and excitement.

"Ah, that's right, I forgot." JJ rolled her eyes as she glanced over at the other parents and children gathered in the small, sectioned off unit of the children's hospital. Never in her wildest dreams did she expect to find herself celebrating Halloween in the oncology unit.

But here she was, with about a hundred other families, all with children battling some form of life threatening disease. And today, cancer did not exist in her world, in Henry's world- today was just about fun!

Of course, Henry was currently inpatient but chemo did not stop her son from wearing his football costume, chemo or not the kid was determined to go trick or treating.

There had been a rumor circulating around that this year would be different, more spectacular for the kids. JJ didn't care how it went down as long as her Henry got his Halloween, but deep down inside, she had a feeling that her team had a hand in whatever was about to happen.

The Oncology department's parties were known for being great, but there was an electrifying feel in the air tonight, even the staff seemed more excited then normal.

"Hey JJ," Hotch came up behind her, handing her a bottled water. "He looks excited!" He pointed to Henry who had joined a mass of kids listening intently to a scary story about a haunted pumpkin.

JJ nodded. "He hasn't been able to stop talking about it for the past month, he is so excited that he gets to go trick or treating." Even if its in a hospital.

"Its going to be a blast." He smiled at his agent, hoping for just a little bit that she could forget that Halloween was in the hospital.

"Ya, and I have a feeling a Dave Rossi is involved somehow?"

He shrugged "Maybe." Or totally. Rossi had paid for the entire party and more. He had made sure every child had a costume and that the department was decorated in such a way that the kids would never forget this Halloween.

"MOM!"It's time, c'mon!" Henry grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the door where a vampire doctor was guarding.

"He's a vampire." Henry whispered in his mom's ear, unable to see through the facepaint that would have revealed the vampire as his favorite doctor. "But don't worry, he is a nice vampire and he lost his teeth! We have to go find them!" Henry explained, not waiting for his mom before bounding out the door.. and right into a pile of other kids. They all stood there with their mouths wide open, staring at the scene before them.

The oncology unit playroom had been transformed from a large room with toys and activities scattered everywhere, to a Halloween carnival. Music blared, silly decorations plastered the walls, there was a giant bubble machine and a bounce house and arts and crafts and Henry's favorite, a giant bounce house and a velcro wall! Candy was scattered all over the place and even the adults were wearing costumes!

It took Henry longer than JJ expected to crash out. He played and laughed and danced for almost three hours before he came back to her rubbing his eyes and wanting to be held. Hotch ended up carrying Henry back to his hospital room, and tucking him into bed as JJ gathered up all his new gear. Toys had been donated, more costumes, games, it was almost like Christmas just on Halloween.

And as she walked back to Henry's room, her heart caught in her throat. Hotch was currently snuggled up with her son, in bed as they watched Spongebob together. He had already been changed into his pajamas and was explaining something about a pineapple to her boss.

She didn't move as the two conversed about topics ranging from what boogers were made out of to what Jack was going as for Halloween. She didn't make a sound as Hotch tucked her sleeping son under a blanket and she nearly cried when she watched her boss bend down, kiss ed Henry on the forehead and whispered "Goodnight, Henry, I love you."


End file.
